Like most symbols, they give us a way to indicate something in an abbreviated manner It is easier to write

and read BHP than to use the term brake horsepower Sme thing with "A" for amperes and "V for volts.
Mostly abbreveations or acramens are to shoten the formulas or ideas and also for a universal
understanding (just about all engineering, including electrical symbols are in english throughout the world)

symbols are important especially if you are fixing electric appliances. For example an adapter, it tells
you where the wire of neutral and live go.
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Name

Electrical Symbol

Alternate Symbol

Function
Description
A connection to
earth. Used for

ground

zero potential
reference and
electrical shock
protection.

equipotentiality

Equipotentiality
is a symbol to
identify parts
that have the
same voltage
(i.e. same
electrical
potential i.e.
equipotential).
Since
equipotential
surfaces all
have the same
voltage, you
won't get
shocked if you
touch two such

surfaces (unless
of course you
are also
touching some
OTHER part that
has a different
potential from
the first two).
Connected to
chassis

the chassis of
the circuit.
Supplies
electrical
energy. A
battery is more
than one cell. It

battery

generates
constant
voltage and
represents a
battery in an
equipment
package.
A resistor
restricts the
flow of current,
for example to
limit the current

resister

passing through
an LED. A
resistor is used
with a capacitor
in a timing
circuit.

A box with input

and control logic
attenuator

on one side, and

output on the
other.
A capacitor
stores electric
charge. A
capacitor is
used with a

capacitor

resistor in a
timing circuit. It
can also be
used as a filter,
to block DC
signals but pass
AC signals.
Accumulators
are designed to

accumulator

increase or
relieve pressure
in the system.
A antenna is a
radio antenna
that can be

antenna

made of a
simple wire,
with a centerfed driven
element.

loop antenna

A loop antenna
is a radio
antenna
consisting of a
loop (or loops)

of wire, tubing,
or other
electrical
conductor with
its ends
connected to a
balanced
transmission
line.
A crystal
oscillator uses
the mechanical
resonance of a
vibrating crystal
crystal

of piezoelectric
material to
create an
electrical signal
with a very
precise
frequency.
A circuit breaker
is an
automatically
operated
electrical switch

circuit breaker

designed to
protect an
electrical circuit
from damage
caused by
overload or
short circuit.

fuse

A type of
sacrificial
overcurrent

protection
device.
Represents low
voltage and
power fuses.
ideal source
generic component

transducer

A coil of wire
which creates a
magnetic field
when current
passes through
it. It may have
an iron core
inside the coil. It
can be used as
a transducer
converting
inductor

electrical
energy to
mechanical
energy by
pulling on
something. It is
a passive twoterminal
electrical
component
used to store
energy in a
magnetic field.

half inductor

pickup head

pulse
saw tooch
step function
Explosive squib
is often used on
explosive squib

stage and film

to trigger
various special
effects.

sensing link squib

squib igniter
Surge protectors
protect your
surge protectors

electronics from
power surges in
your electrical
system.

For example, a
voltmeter is an
instrument used
for measuring
electrical
potential
difference
between two
instrument

points in an
electric circuit.
The wattmeter
is an instrument
for measuring
the electric
power in watts
of any given
circuit.

material

Delay element
provides a
specified delay
delay element

between
actuation of the
propellantactuated
devices.
A permanent
magnet is a

permanent magnet

material or
object that
produces a
magnetic field.

magnet core

ferrite core

igniter plug
The electric bell
is found in a
normal house
bell

doorbell, and
when activated
it makes a
ringing sound.
An electrical
buzzer is similar
to the bell, but
instead of a

buzzer

single tone or
bell sound it
makes a
constant buzz
noise.

thermal element

thermocouple

thermopile

lamp

A transducer
which converts
electrical
energy to light,
which is used
for a lamp

providing
illumination, for
example a car
headlamp or
torch bulb.
fluorescent lamp
A speaker can
take digital
input and turn it
into analogue
sound waves.
speaker

One of the most

important parts
of a wide range
of electrical
products like
TVs and
telephones.

microphone

Produces a
repetitive
oscillator

electronic
signal, often a
sine wave or a
square wave.
Alternating
Current,

AC source

continually
change
direction.

Direct Current,
DC source

always flow in
one direction.

The electrical symbols for most major basic electrical components can be found in the
above table.
However, each electrical component may have numerous possible representations. The
electrical symbols can vary from country to country nowadays, but are to a large extent
internationally standardized. Some electrical symbols become virtually extinct with the
development of new technologies. In cases where there is more than one common
electrical symbol, we have tried to give an alternate representation.

How to Use Electrical Symbols

This group of symbols is located in the Engineering category in the Available
Templates list. After you start Edraw, click the icon of Basic Electrical Symbols to
open the stencil including this kind of shapes. The stencil panel is opened on the left
along with a blank canvas on the right.
Drag the shape you need directly onto the canvas. Instead, you can click its icon and
then click on the location where you want to place it.
After you add shapes on the drawing page, they are selected by default. So you can
resize them by dragging the green selection handles. A double sided arrow shows the
direction to which you can move the mouse. Move the shape when a four-direction
arrow appears.
In electrical diagram software, you can use the action button to choose the right
electrical symbols with one click. It shows when the shape is selected or when the
pointer is over the shape.

For example, the Variable Resister can be turned into 6 more kinds of symbols by
clicking the button.

If many options are available, a dialogue box may be designed. Click the drop down
menu to find necessary choice. For instance, an Indicator shape includes 16 options.

https://www.edrawsoft.com/electrical-symbols.php

EO 1.14
Given a standard electrical symbol, IDENTIFY the component that the symbol represents. The symbols will be
for the following components:
a.

Resistor

m.

Fuse

b.

Capacitor

n.

Junction

c.

Inductor

o.

AC voltage source

d.

Relay

p.

Voltmeter

e.

Contacts

q.

Ammeter

f.

Breaker

r.

Wattmeter

g.

Switch

s.

Relay operated contacts

h.

Transistor

t.

Potential transformer

i.

Rheostat

u.

Current transformer

j.

Diode

v.

Wye (Y) connection

k.

Ground connections

w.

Delta (0) connection

1.

Vacuum tube

x.

Light bulb

Y.

Battery

S v mb o l s
The symbols for the various electrical components that will appear on electrical diagrams and schematics are shown in Figure
30.
Basic Electrical Theory

Figure 30 Electrical Symbols

Summary

The important information contained in this chapter is summarized below.

Electrical Symbols Summary
To read and interpret electrical system diagrams and schematics, one must be thoroughly familiar with the many symbols
used. Once these symbols are mastered, most electrical diagrams and schematics will be understood with relative ease.

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